Leshana tova

It's Rosh Hashana again and happy new year to everyone, and to everyone that I spent last Rosh Hashana with:
(remember that??) I miss our wonderful makeshift celebration! Tomorrow I am off to the Spanelsky Synagogu (that name sure beats your average Beth Elohim) with some of my friends to experience my first Sephardic service. The apples and honey are purchased and I can't wait to all go around and say our new years resolutions (if my friends aren't drunk off appletinis first).

In other religious news... I spent thursday-sunday in Istanbul and had quite the religious/cultural experience. My dad had been to Istanbul as a little kid. When I had to ask him to help me with paying for the trip he said he'd be more than happy to pay for the whole thing just so I could go into the Blue Mosque and look up and experience it for myself. So that's what I did.
I took my shoes off, wrapped myself up in my pashmina (no inch of stomach showing, no shoulders, no elbows and no ankles so it was a long pants day in 70 degrees) and walked around on the carpeted floor. What hit me the hardest was sitting on the prayer mats in the back of the mosque and just being there. I sat next to my friend Jessi and we ended up sharing a newfound respect for Islam and talking about our frustrations with the middle east conflict and post-911 anti-Islam sentiments. Unfortunately/fortunately, my pictures of the inside of the mosque don't do it justice. I guess you'll just have to see it for yourself.
The rest of Istanbul was also a comfort-zone extending experience. First off, as women my friends and I were hassled constantly by all the men. Although women are free to wear what they like we felt much less self-conscious the more wrapped up in pashminas that we were. At least it drew less attention to us. It was odd to feel so self conscious in a tank top though. The Grand Bazaar was intense with its 3500 shops, crowds of people, constant harassment, and bargaining extravaganza. But you should have seen me put my bargaining skills to work! Not only did we get amazing deals on gorgeous things, but also we made friends with the shop owners in the end.
However, our 5 hours in the Grand Bazaar were so intense that we decided to cleanse ourselves with a Turkish Bath afterwards. It doesn't get much weirder than a Turkish Bath! I went with three of my girl friends and found myself a little shocked by all the naked women (I guess I thought it would be more private). At first it was a little awkward, but it ended up being this totally freeing experience being totally naked with three new friends and tons of other women. All of us were lying on this hot marble in a sauna waiting to be screamed at by an old turkish woman: "Massage?!" At which point you go over to them, they scrub you down and massage you, and slap your ass when they want you to flip over. Then they wash your hair at the end. Very odd, but definitely cleansing and definitely liberating. I also got to meet new people on the trip and smoke hookah a lot, so all in all it was quite the fun, cultural/religious, eventful weekend.

As for now I am in bed, in my clothes, under the covers, and all bundled up. Unfortunately, they haven't turned the heat on yet and I've just come down with a cold. In fact the whole damn Kolej has come down with a cold. So it's not quite 11pm, but I'm taking my sniffly self off to bed. I will be thinking of each one of you during the Rosh Hashana festivites tomorrow. Praha shest is a wonderful home, but it aint nothing with out all of you. Dobrou noc (good night).

Love--a